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THE REGULAR SEASON

For the first time in team history, a player raised and developed in Europe cracks the lineup. Mats Naslund, a Swedish left winger drafted with Montreal’s second pick in 1979, was named his country’s player of the year the previous season.

Ronald Corey, the former president and general manager of the O’Keefe brewery, succeeds Morgan McCammon as team president. Prior to the beginning of the regular season, veterans Guy Lafleur and Larry Robinson threaten to not report to training camp if their contracts are not renegotiated. Both players come to terms with the team just hours before the beginning of training camp.

At the same time, general manager Irving Grundman proceeds with a blockbuster trade as he deals defensemen Brian Engblom and Rod Langway and forwards Doug Jarvis and Craig Laughlin to the Washington Capitals in exchange for Ryan Walter and Rick Green. Despite the big changes, the team establishes itself as one of the strongest in the league during the first half of the season. The Canadiens record 19 points in the month of November alone.

 At Christmas, the Habs trail the Boston Bruins slightly for the Adams Division lead. Grundman continues to make moves in December as he trades Gaston Gingras to the Toronto Maple Leafs in return for a second round pick in 1986 (which will ultimately yield Benoit Brunet).

For his part, Naslund makes a name for himself in his first season in Montreal. Teamed with Pierre Mondou and Mario Tremblay, the line is a surprising offensive force. At the end of the season, the three linemates have combined for a total of more than 200 points. Mark Napier remains the team’s leading goal scorer for a second straight season as he finds the back of the net 40 times.

The team gets off to a rough start in the New Year with a crushing 5-0 loss to the Soviet national team in an exhibition game at the Forum on January 2. The Habs manage to put that one behind them, though, and they enjoy a strong second half. On February 27, in a game against the Red Wings in Detroit, Larry Robinson overtakes Guy Lapointe as the highest scoring defenseman in team history with his 573rd career point as a member of the Canadiens.

Montreal cannot keep pace with the Bruins and the Canadiens’ streak of consecutive division titles ends at eight. Also, for the first time in nine years, not one member of the team is named to the league’s All-Star teams.